CHHATRAPATI SHIVAJI MAHARAJ

BUILDING AN EMPIRE

For starting an empire Shivaji needed area far away from imperial power centres such as The Mughals, Bijapur etc, agriculturally an important place with dense forest cover for guerilla warfare. Destiny fulfilled these conditions around 1646AD when Shivaji formed a group of staunch supporters from local peasants called "Mavlas" Shivaji had a good idea about the Importance of forts in empire buildings. Therefore the 15 years old Shivaji took control of the Torna, cakan and kondana fort by bribing the Adilshahi commanders , after that Thana , Kalyan and Bihiwandi . Mullah Ahmed was seized by Shivaji under Abaji sondev . These events ruffled the Adil shahi sultanate .